Tristan's Pasta

T-Licious Pasta

My big boy is my pasta maniac. He likes any kind of pasta providing it has balsamic vinegar and olive oil on it. I make sure to have some on hand all of the time. I've been pushing the boundaries lately by adding garbanzo beans or white beans. He has taken to adding olives, nondairy rice cheese, garlic granules, and pepper. He says he is o.k. with the beans. Lucky for me the beans have a really mild flavor and absorb the balsamic vinegar he so loves. His pasta is a simplified version of Helane's Pasta. I omit the tomatoes, vinegar, and fresh garlic.

1 1/2 cups of favorite pasta already cooked
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
4 kalamata olives sliced
sprinkle of granulated garlic
sprinkle of pepper
1/8 cup nondairy cheeze shreds (e.g. Soyco "Rice Cheese')

I started adding spinach this weekend. I took 5 small leaves, and I mean small, of baby spinach and finely chopped it as if it were basil. Then I threw it in. "Mom, I'm not really fond of the spinach." After a brief discussion of how minuscule the pieces were he agreed to eat it.

Here is the crutch: He loves pesto pasta, but doesn't want pieces of green anything in his food. Now that he is 11 I'm hoping to expand his horizons. I know, you're thinking "Pesto is green". Go figure. Like I said, picky boys. I haven't started on the four year old.